Ask the TUAW Readers: Best use for a Newton

One question, I have an old Apple Laserwriter printer that can only interface with a now broken make using the localtalk cable. Can I print using the newton? If so, I think I am going to take all of my notes form class on it!

Yes, in fact, I always thought that the older LocalTalk LaserWriters were the best way to print from the Newton. I used to Carry a StyleWriter II around with me for on-the-road printing (drove a van), but preferred LW printing. It was great! BTW, stick that in your pipe, Palm...
-Jon

Thanks for the advice. I really wish I could duel-boot ubuntu and newton OS, but I don't think that's possible at all.

One question, I have an old Apple Laserwriter printer that can only interface with a now broken make using the localtalk cable. Can I print using the newton? If so, I think I am going to take all of my notes form class on it!

And yep, I scored it for $8.49, still working!

As an archaeologist, my MP120 is a great field notebook and Availworks is a handy wordprocessing tool if I'm travelling without my iBook. More importantly, my MP120 serves as a good eBook Reader. Didn't cost me much to buy, not a (huge) disaster if it gets lost/damaged and has a certain retro-cool (in a slightly geeky kind of way).

All in all, the Newton is still a useful tool!

I use it for doing Academic Research:

http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/index.php/DoingAcademicResearch

I keep an old MP120 around in the car with GeekGas installed to keep track of my car's gas mileage:

http://newton.newtopia.com/

Ubuntu on the Newton, probably not. But Newton on Ubuntu (or Mac OS X, for that matter), yesirree bob.

http://www.kallisys.com/newton/einstein/

Also, it is a MP 2100 in the pic not a MP 120

I depends on what kind of 120 he has. The 120 came in both OS 1.3 and 2.0 flavors. If he has the 2.0 version, he will have real good HWR. OS 1.3 was the 'egg freckles' HWR.

@kt
if your batteries are eaten up quickly, check your preferences to see if it is checking for IR connections. That drains the battery fast.

I also doubt the dual booting on a Newton.

"I'm dual-booting the Newton OS and Ubuntu on my MP2000"
I call shenanigans on that. Screenshots and howto or it never happened.

Use it to teach people handwriting skills.
I never had any trouble with my Newton recognizing my handwriting and translating it perfectly -- but most people these days have the handwriting of a doctor writing a prescription. Obviously, they don't teach penmanship anymore, the same way they don't teach spelling anymore. Computers have taken these skills away from our society. This is why Newton was the butt of so many handwriting recognition jokes: Newton wasn't at fault, it was the illegible scrawl of the user.
If another person can't read it, why would you assume a small hand-held computer could read it?